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| Origins Available: |
| | England |
The Oxenden surname is thought to be a habitational name derived from any of several place names, such as Oxenden in Kent. These place names come from the Old English local description of the "valley of the oxen."
The surname Oxenden was first found in Kent where they held a family seat. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1170 in Essex but Ailric Ockenden is thought to have been a branches of the old baronial family of Oxenden in Kent.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Oxenden research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1330, 1455, 1487, 1607, 1614, 1620, 1645, 1651, 1660, 1661, 1669, 1686 and 1703 are included under the topic Early Oxenden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Oxenden include Oxenden, Ockenden, Okenden, Okendon, Oxendon, Oxenford, Wokenden, Ockendon and many more.
Distinguished members of the family include
A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Nelson Ockenden, who was on record in Oregon in 1850; as well as William Ockenden, who came to California in 1884.